Terror in Topaz: A Harriet Gordon Mystery
1910: Inspector Robert Curran is suspended from his position in Singapore and has slunk away to Kuala Lumpur (KL). Unknown to all but a few officials, though, he is a man on a mission. The mission is to neutralise the threat from a house of vice called the Topaz Club. The operators of this establishment have “found that artistically arranged photographic images (are) very conducive to cooperation” from rich and powerful men. Actually, unknown to those who have appointed Curran, he is on two missions. He has good reason to seek out the men behind the Topaz Club, because his stepsister may be trapped there.
At the very same time, Harriet Gordon, his partner in crime-fighting, accompanies her brother to KL as he evaluates an employment offer from a school. As luck would have it, Harriet becomes a witness to the events surrounding a sensational scandal and true event (familiar to readers of Tan Twan Eng’s The House of Doors), Edith Robertson’s shooting of a man who she claims attempted to rape her. Curran and Harriet’s paths collide with those of their enemies in an explosive mix of action, spiced with historical and social commentary.
One may quibble with some details. For experienced crime-busters, the two are rather lax with some important pieces of paper. Some of the action is unconvincing, with Curran putting himself in untenably risky situations. However, Terror in Topaz shines in its portrayal of “the meeting of souls” that Harriet’s relationship with Curran blossoms into. It is nuanced in its treatment of Edith’s character; as she reflects, “What about women? Don’t women have needs, Harriet?” The appearance of Su Wei, the mistress of the man whom Edith has shot, is an interesting touch. An entertaining, fast-paced read.
